Chris Waller could field a formidable team in Saturday’s Underwood Stakes at Caulfield as he aims to claim back-to-back victories in the Group 1.
Last year’s winner Buckaroo will return to defend his crown over 1800m, joined by stablemates Anisette and Moira, with Land Legend and River Of Stars also under consideration.
Waller was encouraged by Buckaroo’s strong third in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30, his first run since the autumn.
“It was an awesome return,” Waller said. “We were left wondering where he was after the autumn. Maybe he is a much better horse in the spring as his autumn form the year before wasn’t much better. He’s had a trial and the 1800 metres of the Underwood should suit him perfectly, but I would have liked to have been third-up in the race.”
After a sixth-place finish in the Group 2 P B Lawrence Stakes (1400m), Anisette was scratched from the So You Think Stakes but impressed in a 1000m Flemington jump-out on Friday alongside Buckaroo and River Of Stars.
“Her first up run was good, and she missed a run in the So You Think at The Valley, hence the reason she had the trial,” Waller said. “There was a glimpse of form in the P B Lawrence.”
Moira, meanwhile, continues her Melbourne campaign with her third start in as many weeks after finishing fourth in the P B Lawrence and runner-up in the So You Think Stakes.
“Her run was probably slightly better than Anisette in the Lawrence and her run the other day was good,” Waller said. “She’s got the right profile third-up and Group 1’s are not unusual for her to be running in. We’re quietly confident she can take the next step.”
Waller confirmed River Of Stars and Land Legend are building towards the Caulfield Cup, with the former also shaping as a leading Melbourne Cup candidate.
“She’s just gradually going through her distances at the moment. Once she gets out to the Caulfield Cup we’ll know whether she’s a genuine Melbourne Cup horse, so she may run there (on Saturday),” he said. “Land Legend is ticking along OK, and he might run in the Underwood on his way to the Turnbull and Caulfield Cup.”
